First UK Installation of Carrier’s Ultra-Low GWP HFO Chiller Lands at Gatwick Airport

The first UK installation of Carrier’s new ultra-low Global Warming Potential (GWP) AquaForce 30XAV chiller operating onthe company’s PUREtec HFO R-1234ze refrigerant has been completed at Gatwick Airport Ltd. Selected as a replacement for an ageing air-cooled screw chiller, the project is part of a major upgrade at Jubilee House, the administrative offices of Gatwick Airport Ltd.

Carrier’s AquaForce 30XAV with Greenspeed Intelligencewas selected by Gatwick Airport Ltd as a solution to help meet the airport’s strict environmental policy,set out in its Decade of Changevision and Cooling Strategy beyond 2020.The new policy includesgoals to transition away from high Global Warming Potential (GWP) refrigerants and targets to reduce carbon emissions by 50 per cent, energy consumption by 20 per cent, and securing 25 per cent of its energy from renewable sources.

The chiller usesrefrigerant R-1234ze with a GWP rating of less than 1, haslowsound output and high resilience due to its dual refrigeration circuit.Carrier’s Greenspeed Intelligence system delivers high efficiency by precisely matching cooling output with the load using a fine-control inverter. This optimises efficiency particularly at part load conditions, which represents the majority of the time in the UK. The chiller’s excellent efficiency results in a significantly lower carbon footprint and lower running costs over its operational lifetime.

Jack Hartland, principal mechanical engineer at Gatwick Airport, said:“We have set ambitious targets for the environmental performance of all aspects of Gatwick’s operations, and the energy efficiency and carbon status of our buildings are key elements. Based on ultra-low GWP refrigerantR-1234ze, the new Carrier chiller delivers in relation to both efficiency and carbon, and has helped us achieve the outstanding environmental performance our strategy requires.”

The chiller is designed for flexibility in such replacement projects, with a compact footprint and variable configurations of water pipework that can be matched to existing connections. At Gatwick, the built-in chiller control interface was linked into the building management system, giving high-level control and helping to minimise energy consumption.

The chiller was installed by SPIE UK,whichcarried out the crane lift and chiller replacement at night due to ongoing activities within the building and surrounding busy airport during the day.The chiller is protected by Carrier’s Super Enviro-Shield condenser coating, and includes a five-year extended warranty.